State Designations - Symbol of Remembrance for September 11 - Freedom Flag
Summary
SB 169 designates the Freedom Flag as Maryland’s State symbol of remembrance for the attacks of September 11. The bill states that the Freedom Flag, designed by Richard Nicholas Melito of Richmond, Virginia, to memorialize the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, will be recognized in the Maryland Code as the official symbol of remembrance for 9/11.
The bill also makes a technical renumbering in the General Provisions Article, moving existing Section 7-319 to 7-320 to make room for the new designation. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill amends the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland by adding a new state designation and renumbering an existing section. Its practical legal effect is limited to symbolic recognition: it does not create a regulatory program, funding mechanism, or enforcement scheme, but it does formally add the Freedom Flag to Maryland’s list of state symbols and memorial designations.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be a straightforward commemorative bill with no documented opposition in the available record. The tone of the legislation is respectful and memorializing, suggesting generally favorable treatment as a symbolic recognition of the September 11 attacks and their victims.
Contention
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided transcripts or voting history. If any debate occurred, it is not captured here. The only potentially notable legislative detail is the renumbering of an existing code section, but that appears to be a technical drafting matter rather than a substantive dispute.